Dear Diary
by FanFicter123
Summary: With the contenent of Tellius finnaly at peace, Ike and Soren leave Crimea on a boat destined for unknown lands. Within a diary Soren account their journey together, the good and the bad. IkeSoren. Rated M for future lemons.
1. Chapter 1: The Last Entry

New story new story!!! I must have a thing for dramas, heh. Well, I'm really excited about this one you guys x3. It will go back and forth between Soren's first person diary entries and third person, and they can be told apart by the fact that diary entries will be in italics. Simple, no?

I'll still be updating Fluff And Stuff, but this is my main project now.

By the way, this is a prolouge, which is why it's incredibly short o.o;; the rest will not be this way, I promise.

Reveiw and such, you guys are awesome. And if you havent read Aimaru, check it out x3.

This story begins at the end, in otherwords, this is the last entry found within the diary.

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_Day:_

_It's funny. Until death stares you in the face, you really don't think about your life much. Funny; in an annoying, stupid, hopeless way._

_The food won't last much longer. I've been stashing my meals back into the food cupboard without him knowing. That way maybe he'll live. It's a foolish hope I know, but how can I rob him of his life just to save my own?_

_Now that I look at my own thoughts written out on paper, I realize what a foolish plan it was. He knows, I'm sure. And I won't be able to last much longer without food. Not that I'll last with food anyways. I know that this was my fault, in the end. I'm the tactician; I should have seen this coming. Perhaps if we had…_

_No. Looking back on the past will do us no good now. All I can hope is that one day someone finds this book, so that they can know about the best journey of my life. And the last._

_If this is the last entry in here, so be it. I don't fear death, not mine at least. If I could take everything I've accounted here back; I wouldn't._

_I regret nothing._

_Soren._

_Tactician and Mage of the Greil Mercenaries._

_Heralding from Crimea, on the continent of Tellius._


	2. Chapter 2: Taking Off

Heeeey. I had this one ready yesterday, but the document manager was being a bitch and didn't allow me to upload TTATT. But no worries, it's here now! Yeeeeeey.

So, keep reviewing, let me know what you think. x3

* * *

"Whats that?"

"It's called a diary Ike." Soren clenched the little black book along with his spellbooks as he walked. The blue-haired man reached over and grabbed it swiftly, holding it high over his head where Soren couldn't reach it. "H-hey!" he protested, nearly dropping his other books. "Ike! Give that back this instant!"

Ike ignored him, opening the little diary and skimming through it. "Hey there's nothi-"

"Sude zeka!"

A gust of wind punched Ike in the stomach, causing him to lose his breath and drop the book. As he keeled over in an attempt to catch his breath, Soren picked the diary up and placed it back on the top of the stack of books. "Nothing in it? I know, not yet anyways." With a knowing smirk he walked off. "Hurry up Ike; I thought you were in a hurry to leave before sunset."

Ike stood, panting softly, "That… that was cheap." But Soren didn't respond, nor did he slow down. With a grunt the swordsman ran after him.

_Day: 1_

_We boarded the ship today; though we can't take off until tomorrow. There are few of us going, but more than I'd prefer. Still I understand Ike's reasoning. Maintaining a ship is no easy task, and neither of us know how to sail. _

_Personally I would have preferred it if Nasir had been our captain, but I can understand his reasoning for staying behind. We are to embark upon a journey from which it is doubtable that we shall return. That's fine by me; there isn't much in Tellius for me except Ike. It won't be long before the fact that I'm not aging becomes noticeable, and people start to exile me. That is not a life that I want._

_Ike still doesn't know. Sometimes I think about telling him, but then I realize that it doesn't matter; he won't care anyways. One day he will notice, and then maybe we can talk about it. Until then, my secret is mine own._

_The ship is small and crowded, but we are used to such a lifestyle. Two others are accompanying us on this journey besides the captain; a man by the name of Bryant, and a young girl named Celeste. Bryant is trustworthy. A skilled Berserker and ex-Crimean Soldier. Celeste is…_

_She is one of the hawk tribe; the sister of the Hawk King's eyes, Janaff, apparently. At first I found it surprising that she had never accompanied us in battle, though after thought I suppose I can understand. Few women of the hawk tribe fought in the wars. However, that fact only furthers my concern that she has no place on this trip. We may meet many hardships on our journey, and an inexperienced fighter will only get in our way._

_Another perk about her is that she carries two knives at her belt. I am assuming that this means that she fights with them. Never before have I seen a Laguz who would use Beorc weapons in combat. There's something not quite right about her._

_The Captian is an elderly man, but full of life. I have no doubt that he will guide our ship safely. However, he cannot fight. This makes him a weakness on our boat. If something were to happen, we would have to protect him, as the ship cannot sail without its captain. _

_I voiced these comments to Ike, and he simply laughed, saying that I was worrying too much. He doesn't expect to meet much resistance out on the open seas; but I find it is better to be safe than sorry. We have enough supplies to last us for th_

"Hey Soren, what are you doing?" Ike's head peeked in through the cabin door.

Quickly the mage closed the book and shoved it under some papers. "Just checking our course once more. We don't want to find ourselves in a bad situation so early into the journey after all. Now, assuming that Tellius doesn't branch out west past Hatari, we can assume that- hey!" He squeaked in protest as his chair, and him along with it, was pulled back and away from the table.

"Soren, do you know what time it is?" Ike asked.

"Ike, I think it's more important that we ensure the safety of our journey then that I get some sleep."

The man grinned; he was beginning to look so much like Greil. "But those go hand in hand. I need you well rested for tomorrow, alright? So," he pointed to one of the two cots in the room.

With a sigh Soren stood. "Fine. But I'm going to be up first thing in the morning to recheck our-"

"Yes yes, I know you will," Ike offered a smile, "That's why you're the best tactician I could ask for."

Soren felt blood rush to his cheeks, so he turned before Ike could see it. "Well, goodnight then Ike." He climbed into the cot, pulling the cover close to his face to hide the blush that was still there.

"Goodnight Soren," the man said, blowing out the flame of the oil lamp lighting the room. The mage could hear his footsteps travel to his own cot, in the same room. The swordsman let out a relaxed sigh as he got into the cot, and then all was silent.

Soren turned over, his eyes squinting in the darkness in an attempt to see Ike. However, the serious lack of any form of light hindered this, so all he could really make out was a darker blob on the other side of the room. Eventually he gave up, closing his eyes and snuggling just a bit closer to the blanket.

When he awoke the light of the morning sun lit the room. It was eerily silent, so he sat up and looked around with a muffled yawn. The first thing he looked to was Ike's cot, but it was empty. The swordsman had left it messy and unkempt; that was so like him. With a sigh his lithe fingers pulled the binds out of his hair so that it fell around his shoulders. Quickly he ran his fingers through it, pulling out the knots that had formed overnight. Once his digits were able to run through the ebony locks with ease he tied it back again.

The next thing he did was check the stack of papers he had hastily hidden his diary under. The little black book was still there, just as he had left it. With a relieved sigh he picked it up and replaced it in a drawer; turning back to the maps. There was no telling what they'd find where they were headed, this would be the toughest adventure yet. It also meant that Soren's job was going to be tougher; he was a tactician who knew nothing about their possible enemies or the terrain they'd be facing.

"Hey, Soren!" He looked up as a head popped through the door. "There's breakfast on the deck."

"I'm not hungry, there are more important things to be doing." He turned back to the maps, completely ignoring Celeste's pout.

"Don't be stuffy, eat something."

"I need to check our, wha- what are you doing? Let me go!" The hawk laguz had grabbed the back of his robe and was proceeding to pull him out of the cabin.

She tsked, "Ike said that you were stubborn, but really now?"

"Ike?"

"But he told me to make sure that you ate, so I will."

Soren attempted to pull free, but soon gave up. If Ike said it… well, maybe he was a little hungry.

_Day: 2_

_We're finally at sea. We disembarked from a port in the southernmost region of Crimea, and will be following the Tellius coast north. Our hope is to be able to sail past the desert and Hatari for lands even farther north of there. We don't know if we'll find anything, but Ike seems confident that we will, and I trust in his judgment._

_The day was uneventful. We casted off without any problem, and have yet to encounter any problems. Beyond the annoyance that is Celeste, the trip has thus far been quite enjoyable. The hawk has taken it upon herself to see that I am babied to, something I could very much do without. She seems to think I am a hatchling of sorts, though by appearance she is much younger than I. No doubt her true age far outranks mine._

_Bryant is our cook, and his food is acceptable, though nothing like Oscar's. Beggars can't be choosers I suppose, and Ike shoveled it down fine enough. Then again, I think he'd eat anything. By my charts it will take about two weeks for us to sail past the desert located north of Daein, and then I assume we will be in the land of Hatari. I assume, because we cannot know for sure. If we had had a little more time with Nailah and Volug, perhaps we'd know more about their land. However, the only details I can say for sure is that the Beorc and the Laguz there live in peace with the Branded, those who share both Beorc and Laguz blood._

_No other continent on Tellius shares this ideal, to many it no doubt seems like a paradise. However, I am not so foolish as to believe in utopias. I'll do my best to see to it that we are prepared for this strange land._

_As I look out at the Crimean coast we sail by, I can't help but think about the fact that we will not be returning. The allies we have made over the years and the places we have been to are being left behind now. As I said previously, I do not regret this decision; Tellius holds nothing for me. The one I truly worry for is Ike. The plan to leave Telluis caught me off guard; Ike had never seemed like the type to just leave the Greil Mercenaries. Everyone was sad to hear that he was leaving, especially Mist. The last time I had seen her cry like that was when her father died. Then again, it is like Ike is dying for her; they will never see each other again._

_The sun is setting and soon I'll have to light a lamp to be able to see; so I will end here. My sudden cut off last night was due to Ike's appearance in the room. Though the purpose of this diary is to record our adventures; I would prefer if he didn't read my personal thoughts._

_Soren. _


	3. Chapter 3: Secrets

D new chapter. So um, yeah. Im really enjoying this, I hope you are.

But I wont know if you dont reveiw -cough cough-

* * *

_Day: 9_

_We have left the Crimean coast behind. Now all that we see is ocean around us; though I know to the east lies the cape that would take us to Daein. That, however, is not our destination. The fact that we are truly on open water is significant in the fact that it means our adventure has truly begun. Now we touch uncharted lands._

_Beyond day to day happenings, the trip has continued to be uneventful. Celeste still babies me, in the most annoying way. She sees to it that I eat every meal, and that I don't stay up too late. Am I a child? Ike seems to find the whole thing amusing; and refuses to come to my aid. I'm considering having a serious talk with him about it. I will not endure a lifetime with that winged annoyance._

_Speaking of Ike, I've noticed him standing at the bow of the ship staring off into the distance often recently. He doesn't know I've seen him. I can understand that there is much on his mind; and I can't shake the feeling that there's some underlining reason why he set out on this trip. Why did he leave the Greil Mercenaries? Why did he leave Mist? It just isn't like him. There must be a reason, something more than just exploration. _

_I'll figure it out._

_Soren._

The mage closed the diary and set it back into the drawer he kept it in. His hands rested on the table in silence as he stared forward. The cabin was quiet; that wouldn't last long. Soon enough little Celeste would pop her head in, look at him, and say…

"Soren, you should get some sleep."

Ah, speak of the devil. He turned, amber eyes rolling slightly. "Celeste, I can assure you that I am quite fine. I'm no child."

She pouted a little, the action making her look even younger . "Don't be silly, you're so young…"

"By beorc years I am an adult-"

"But you aren't beorc."

His eyes widened suddenly and he stood, a scowl lining his features. "You would be wise never to mention that again," he snapped as he pushed past her and out the door.

"Soren. Wait… I'm sorry, I didn't know…" But he wasn't listening to her. He stalked out onto the deck without a look back. She didn't follow, a fact that he was glad for. He didn't need to deal with her right now.

He supposed that he could understand how Celeste had known. She was a laguz, their senses could easily tell that he was abnormal. Putting the pieces together and coming up with the explanation that he was a branded took a bit more effort; though he guessed that that only showed that she was intelligent.

He couldn't blame her for mentioning it, and defiantly couldn't blame her for accepting it so easily. The fact that she was still talking to him, let alone being nice, should have been the biggest complement. However, his secret had to remain just that, a secret. She couldn't be so open about it like that; never again.

He sighed, pushing a stray strand of hair behind his ear and leaning out on the railing, looking at the water flowing below. The waves pushed and pulled the boat in a rhythmic motion, soothing him.

"Darkness off light,

Water of Fire,

Show your true colors to me now.

Here in this hole,

Cut off from people,

Guide us to where there is no sound."

He sung the song quietly, so quietly that none but himself could hear it. Where it was from, he did not know; he only knew that he had known of it since his childhood. It was a song sung by a woman in his dreams; a woman he could not recall. It was the first thing he had ever known, and had hummed it often as a child. As he grew and, many years later than was normal, began to talk; the words of the song returned to him.

Though he knew little of the circumstances of his birth, Soren did know his laguz blood hailed from the Dragon Tribe. It mattered little, though it no doubt meant that his life span would be much longer than most of his kind. Another thing he did not look forward to.

Amber eyes watched the waves crash against the boat, and then turned to look down the side of the ship. He was there again. Ike, standing at the bow, looking off into the distance. Placing his hands on the railing before him, the mage pushed himself up and took a few steps towards the swordsman, stopping a ways away. What was he doing anyways? From what Soren could see he was just… looking. Just staring ahead at the empty expanse of water.

For a while the mage watched the unmoving figure that was Ike. Eventually however, he turned, prepared to return to the cabin for the night. Not because Celeste wanted him to and he felt a little guilty about snapping at her, mind you, but because he was really tired. Or so he told himself.

"Soren."

He froze as the voice called out. Ike still hadn't moved, hadn't looked to see that he was there; so how had he known? "Yes, Ike?"

"Do you have a moment?"

"Of course." He approached the swordsman slowly, standing by him and looking out at the sea as he was.

"You've been standing there for some time now," Ike said, still not looking at the mage.

"Yes." He paused, and then added, "You said nothing."

"There was nothing to say, I suppose." Both were quiet, and then Soren spoke.

"Why are you here, Ike?"

The swordsman shrugged, "I enjoy watching the ocean-"

"No… why are you _here_? On this boat? In this place?"

"I want to explore the lands beyond Tellius," came the automatic answer.

"I find that very hard to believe," the mage said, crossing his arms and turning to the man, annoyance creasing his features.

"I don't understand."

"It isn't like you to leave your family and friends for the sake of exploration. I had never expected you to give up your father's mercenary company so easily."

Ike winced at that. "Do you disapprove of my decision?" he asked.

"No. Not particularly. But it is still uncharacteristic of you; which infers that there is another reason behind it."

Ike chuckled softly, "Ever the observant one. My father was right to hire you."

"You were the one to convince him to do so," Soren reminded him.

"Yes… yes I was," he looked back out to the sea. "Soren… You're not aging."

The young branded's heart skipped a beat, though his face didn't show it. "You noticed."

"I noticed long ago."

"I see…"

Ike turned now, sapphire eyes catching and locking with amber ones. "You were going to leave."

For a moment he was silent. "Yes."

"Because you're branded?"

Once more, "Yes."

"I knew it."

"Why is this relevant now?" the mage asked.

"It's relevant because… that's the reason I'm here."

Brows knit in confusion, "What?"

"You were planning on leaving the Greil Mercenaries, so the only way to stop you from going on your own was for me to leave… with you."

Soren's young face became blank. "So you… you left Tellius on this goose chase of a journey, to stay with me?"

"Yes."

"That is the most ill-thought out, ridiculous, stupid plan in the world." The mage's voice was blunt and cold; but Ike only smiled and chuckled slightly.

"Yes, it is. But that's not the only reason."

"Please, enlighten me further."

"There were things I couldn't do in the Greil Mercenaries that I'm free to do here," he said simply and discreetly.

"Things? What kind of things?"

"Things like… this," the swordsman's arms reached out and wrapped around Soren, pulling him in and upwards so that their lips met softly. At first the mage tensed, caught by surprise by Ike's actions, but he quickly relaxed, kissing Ike back and even placing a hand on the swordsman's cheek.

They broke apart. "I-Ike…" Soren's cheeks were flushed, so he looked down to hide his face.

The man chuckled and placed a finger under the mage's chin, lifting it up. "I've wanted to do that for a long time Soren."

"Ike…" his face were red and his heart was racing. "Again Ike…" the words spilled from his mouth without him really realizing it. "Please, again…"

The man was happy to oblige, leaning in and pressing his lips to the other's; a little more passionately this time. Soren's arms rose and wrapped around Ike's neck, pulling him closer while he stood on the tips of his toes. Again they broke apart. "Ike… I…"

"You're flustered, Soren," he said it with a laugh.

"Yes."

"What a momentous occasion, I've never seen you stumble over your own words like this."

He blushed harder, "You… caught me off guard is all."

"Even the second time?"

The mage was silent.

Once again Ike chuckled, leaning in and placing a kiss on Soren's head, where his branded marking was. "I wouldn't be able to do _that_ in the Greil Mercenaries."

That night, after Ike had fallen asleep, Soren snuck out of bed and lit a lamp. He pulled his diary out of the drawer he hid it in and opened to a new page.

_Day: 9 continued_

_I have returned because an event of interest has come up. _

_I…_

He paused before going on.

_I love Ike._

_And I believe he loves me._

His hands shook as he wrote then, so that the handwriting was messy; but readable.

_Soren._

What else was there for him to say?


	4. Chapter 4: Land Ho

Sorry it's been so long. This weird thing happened where I had a life, and I spent time with my friends. Don't worry, it doesnt happen often.

Reveiw, blah blah blah. You know the drill by now.

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_Day: 13_

_We see land in the distance. Still far away, but visible on the horizon. Celeste claims that once we get closer she will be able to fly over and take a look. To my untrained eyes it seemed to be desert, so perhaps we have not yet reached Hatari. But it is land none the less._

_I find my days are spent mostly alongside Ike, my nights in the cabin charting maps and then sleeping. Somehow we have managed to hide our relationship from the others. I believe he does this for my behalf; for it seems he could care less what others think. I admire that in him; for though I put on a tough exterior, the judgment of others can still hurt me. It is why I left Tellius in the first place._

_He is, I am not ashamed to say, an extremely good kisser. I feel my cheeks warming as I write. Often as of late I have found myself smitten in his presence; which gives him the opportunity to pull me into a kiss. I do not mind of course, but I have always prided myself on my ability to stay cool in any situation. Ike seems to throw my whole world off track, and I don't know how to respond. _

_It's noteworthy to add that my secret is no longer mine own. Celeste has told no one, that I know of, but Ike has found out. He claims to have realized it long ago; and that it was because he knew I planned to leave his mercenary company that he left on this journey; with me. A foolish decision, but one that I cannot deny warms my heart._

_Celeste no longer babies me. She keeps her distance, but still puts on a friendly face. I know my violent action days ago hurt her. I cannot deny that fact. But for now I shall let her continue to sulk in my presence; I prefer this Celeste to the annoying one any day._

_With the appearance of land Ike has begun to train again. I, too, have picked up my spellbooks. Who knows what waits on the shores of this strange new place? We will not be caught off guard._

_Soren._

As the drawer closed, hiding away the diary from possible prying eyes, the cabin door swung open. "It's so cold," Ike shivered and complained as he entered the room. "Cant this room come with space for a fire?"

"Only if you want to burn the ship down," Soren mumbled, returning to his charts. "Look at this Ike," the swordsman approached, standing so close to the mage that he actually felt a shiver run down his spine.

"Hm?" The man asked tiredly.

"This," Soren marked a spot, "is us. This," he drew a line, "is what we see on the horizon. Now, based off of my calculations, that would place Daein here, and the desert here. This means that if we-"

"Soren."

"Yes, Ike?"

"Relax."

The mage shook his head. "There is no time to relax, Ike. Who knows what we will face when weaahh!" He gasped in shock as he was yanked from his chair and into a kiss. Ike did that a lot. Especially at night.

"Still not relaxed?" the swordsman asked with a smirk.

"T-the charts…. I… I need to-"

He was silenced with another kiss, this one as Ike pushed him up against the wall. The swordsman's body was so close to his own that Soren was literally sandwiched between the wall and Ike. "Ngh, Ike…" was all he managed to get out. His hands were held captive above his head by Ike's and he could have sword he felt a lump near the man's groin…

The doorknob turned. Ike was immediately apart from Soren and on the other side of the room, leaving the mage panting and flushed. He turned his head as the door opened to hide his face.

"Uh, Soren?" That was Bryant's voice.

"Yes?" His voice was cold, emotionless; yet his face was still red.

"The anchor got stuck on a rock; it's going to cause us problems tomorrow morning if we don't do something about it."

"Right. I'll be right there."

The door closed, and Soren took slow, deep breaths to quell the blood that refused to leave his cheeks. Once more Ike was at his side, placing a soft kiss on his head. He wasn't helping, the mage thought.

"I-I'm going to go then." The mage straightened the collar of his robe and grabbed a tome.

"Alright, I'll be waiting."

Soren's cheeks flushed once more, and he rushed out, back into the night air. The captain and Bryant were leaning out over the edge; Bryant's hands gripped around the anchor's chain. "Just a little more Celeste," the berserker called out below.

Sure enough, the hawk laguz was standing on a large rock below, tugging on the anchor's chain with all her might. It seemed that the anchor was lodged between a crevice in the rock. Soren approached the side, opening his tome. "Tell her to move," he said.

Bryant nodded, "Celeste!" he called down to her, "Soren's going to give it a shot, you might want to move."

"Alright!" She flapped her wings and rose into the sky.

Soren waited until she was out of the way before pointing his finger towards the rock and whispering, "Rurewako."

The wind around the ship picked up, the sails beginning to flap violently. The chain that Bryant was still clinging to jiggled and the ship let out a long groan. It died down back to a soft stillness.

"It didn't work…" Bryant said softly.

"Yoteshinaha!"

The rock split in half, a loud bang shaking the ship as it did so. The wind had once again picked up; quicker and stronger this time. Byrant dropped the chain to cover his face; the captain dropped to the ground; and Celeste was thrown, like a rag doll, into the water. She broke the surface coughing and spluttering, thrashing around in the water.

"Woman overboard!" Bryant called out, grabbing the life preserver and tossing it into the ocean below, "Grab this!"

Her thin arms linked through the preserver, "Alright, I… I got it!" She coughed as the waves took her head under the water again. "Pull me up!"

Bryant pulled with all his might, "Ugh, you're so... heavy."

"EXCUSE ME?!" Came the shout from below.

"Sorry darling! It's just your wings, I'm sure. Ugh, someone help me out here!" The rope was slipping from his hands. Immediately the captain grabbed it as well, and together they managed to pull Celeste up and over the edge. She was soaked head to toe, body shivering violently in the cold.

"I'll get a blanket," The captain said quickly, running off.

"What the hell do you think you were doing Soren!" Bryant spun on the young mage. "You could have killed her. Using such strong wind magic when she was flying!"

Soren didn't even flinch, "I got the anchor loose, didn't I?"

"At what cost?"

"Celeste looks fine to me. I simply did as you asked me to do; it was her own ill judgment that lead to this complication." He folded his arms, holding the tome loosely in one hand.

"Why you-"

"Bryant, it's alright." Celeste coughed, looking up at Soren. Their eyes met, "Don't blame him."

Something stirred in the mage, so he looked away, breaking his gaze with the hawk laguz. "I'm going back to my room," he said, turning. Amber eyes turned back towards Celeste momentarily. "Celeste. If you have need for warmth tonight I… I can create a fire for you." It was the only kindness she had received from him; and it brought a smile to Celeste's lips.

"Thanks Soren."

She received nothing more than a 'Hmph' from the mage.

_Day: 14_

_Celeste is sick. Just a fever, she'll be fine. It is partly my fault, and partly her own mal-judgment. Still, I feel a little responsible, as it was my wind magic that cast her into the freezing waters of the ocean. I spent much of last night using my fire magic to keep her warm. She's not as bad as I once thought she was._

_We grow closer and closer to land. If Celeste wasn't sick, perhaps she could go on a recon mission. There is little other to do but wait. Mush of today was spent making up for lost sleep. The rest spent checking the charts, and then rechecking them again._

_There is nothing else new to report._

_Soren._


	5. Chapter 5: Missing

Life is getting busy o.o but here's the next chapter. Review blah blah blah. let me know what you think.

* * *

_Day: 19_

_Celeste is still ill. We should have brought a healer, this was my own negligence. I am such a fool._

_My fault in this stays in my mind always. I can think of little else. Ike insists that she will recover._

_Tomorrow we will be able to touch land. Without Celeste, we have no knowledge of what we will face there, but we must regardless. If there is any hope of finding a healer, we must try._

He set his feather pen down with a deep sigh, his hands meeting his head and running through his hair. This wasn't right, not at all. His choice was being affected by his emotions; that wasn't supposed to happen. He was supposed to be stronger than that.

Gently he picked the pen back up and ran a line through the last two sentences.

_To go ashore now would be unwise. We know nothing of the land we will be exploring or its dangers, and we have two liabilities in the form of Celeste and the Captain. The best course of action would be to wait for this illness to pass._

Or for her to die, he thought. He quickly ran yet another line through what he had just written.

_I feel indecisive; an emotion new to me. Usually I am able to make the sensible decision without a second thought; but now I feel torn. Celeste does not deserve to die; but then again, do any of us? Should we risk our well being to save her? That may well be the proper course of action, as having a hawk laguz will undoubtedly be of great use to us. Though, at the same time I cannot deny the foolish danger we will be putting ourselves in by going on land._

_The weight of this decision and the lives of these people lie on me, and me alone. I must think on it more._

_Soren._

"You alright Soren?"

The mage nodded while tucking to book back away in the drawer. He turned to Ike.

"You should sleep," the man's face was creased in worry.

"There's no time for that right now. I must think." Amber eyes were distant, tired.

Ike rose from his cot, "You'll make yourself sick if you don't try to get some sleep."

"If that is the price to pay, I shall pay it," he stood.

Ike shook his head, but did not argue. After placing his lips against the mage's in a soft kiss, he murmured, "Just get some sleep tonight, please? I have trouble sleeping when you don't."

Soren nodded, holding back the blood that threatened to rush to his face. "Alright…" he paused. "Is that true?" Ike head only tilted a bit in confusion, and the blush broke out across Soren's face. "What you said," the mage continued, "About not being able to sleep when I didn't…"

"Of course," he smiled softly. "I love you Soren, so I care about you."

Butterflies erupted in the young mage's stomach. This was the first time Ike had said those three words. He tried to hide what he was feeling by placing his cheek against the swordsman's chest and wrapping his thin arms around him. "I love you too Ike. Don't worry about me, I'll get some sleep." A warm hand was placed on his head and Ike pulled away, returning to his cot.

"I'll hold you to your word then," he smiled.

"I'm just going to check up on a few things first."

"Mmm," the man laid down in his cot, "Tell Celeste I said hi."

Celeste was being held in the captain's quarters, the captain having given it up freely for the sick girl. Soren entered the room silently, being careful to close the door in a manner that would disturb no one. Yet nothing could be hidden from the ears of a hawk. "Soren?"

He sighed when his name was spoken, of course she knew it was him. "Are you able to move?" He approached the bed she was lying in. Her face was flush, her breathing labored. This was more than just a simple fever; she was dying.

"Y-yeah. I walked this morning, even flew a little. But Bryant caught me," she laughed weakly. "I'll be better soon."

He said nothing.

"Don't worry Soren."

"I'm not worried." He said quickly, "It's just… we'll touch land tomorrow."

A smile touched her lips, "What does it look like?"

"Desert. Nothing but desert. We don't even know what we might face there."

Her smile fell, "That's my fault."

"We… would be in a better position if you had been able to do some recon work; yes. But the fault is partially mine. Had you not fallen into the ocean, you wouldn't be sick."

She looked at the ceiling, "So, what will you do?"

He had been asking himself that same question. "We risk ourselves by going on land with no knowledge of what we're getting into. But if we don't find a town with a healer…" He didn't continue.

"I know I'm dying Soren."

"Yes, well… we'll find you a healer."

"It will be dangerous though?"

"Perhaps. We don't know."

"I see."

"Don't worry about us," he said. "Just try to get better. We need you." He turned, "Uh, Ike says hi."

She smiled.

Soren didn't sleep well that night. Oh, he slept, as he had promised Ike he would, but his night was plagued with thoughts of tomorrow, and the decision he faced. It was a dreamless sleep, on from which he awoke to the darkness of the cabin many times.

He continued to lie in bed when the sun rose, though sleep no longer held his company. Ike too, slept, as was apparent by the soft snore that filled the room.

The door slammed open and Bryant charged in. Soren jumped up, and Ike rose slowly. "She's gone!" He yelled, his voice paniced.

"Who's gone?" the swordsman asked with a yawn.

_Day: 20_

_Celeste is gone. She left a note, informing us that she was going to perform recon work for us. I fear that my conversation with her last night may have sparked this in her. We meant to take off immediately after Bryant discovered her cot empty, but the winds are against us. _

_We won't be able to sail until they die down or turn in our favor again. I attempted to use wind magic against the sails; but I don't have anything powerful enough. _

_All we can hope is that perhaps Celeste will return safely._

_Soren. _


	6. Chapter 6: What Lies Ahead

This took too long to come out . Im sorry guys. And it's super short, RAWR. Life is hectic ='D.

Whos going to Anime Expo tommorow? =raises hand= I AM I AM! whoooooooo.

And I will end on this note: go to youtube and put this extension on the end /watch?v=DgaAzSFOvGE

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_Day: 23_

_Three days have passed since Celeste set off on her own. We have not been able to make it to land because of a sudden wind that picked up and flows against us. I tried using my tomes to create a wind for our sails, but I am not strong enough. It's an annoying fact._

_Taking a lifeboat and rowing to land is not an option either, as the cliffs that rise out of the ground from the sea would prevent us from doing that. The only thing we can do is wait. That is the wise option. The fact that Celeste has not returned after three days tells me that she is most likely already dead. And we should move on._

_That is the wise choice, though part of my rebels against it. Most likely it's my sense of guilt at her sickness that did this to me; I must be careful not to let such trivial things get in the way again._

_Then again, if it was Ike…_

_But Ike can manage himself, I know. It is time to move on. When this wind dies we will make land and send out on a quick search of the area. Perhaps we will find Celeste, perhaps we won't._

_Soren._

Writing that was much easier than doing it; but Soren has promised himself that he wouldn't allow emotions to rule his decisions any more. He had never allowed that in the past. He set the diary back in its drawer and silently slid it shut. Rising from his chair, he blew out the candle that served as his light, sending the room into darkness.

He rose from his chair and let his feet lead him in the dark. They took him to a cot, and he sat on the edge, reaching out a careful hand to lay it on its occupant. Ike didn't stir at Soren's touch, so the mage ran his fingers up the muscular figure to rest on his cheek. How much he had changed over only three years. From a boy to a man; while Soren was left behind… unaging. Would he live like this forever? Would he just have to keep watching Ike get older and older, while he stayed the same?

Soren lay down next to Ike, snuggling close to him, so that he could feel the man's chest rise and fall against his back. They had so little time, it felt like. So little time left. Suddenly the swordsman shifted in his sleep; his large, muscular hands wrapping around the mage's waist and spooning him close. A gasp escaped Soren's mouth, but he didn't move, as he rather liked this. Eyes closed peacefully, and he drifted off to sleep in Ike's arms.

Two more days passed before the winds died to a stillness. And while normally they would have needed the winds to turn in their favor, they had Soren. With his magic the sails puffed up and carried them towards land. It was hard work, and when they finally dropped the anchor the young mage collapsed into his lover's arms.

Ike carried him back to their room setting him on his cot and pulling the blanket up over his lean frame. "Bryant and I will scout out the area around here, and then be back. You get some rest."

Soren was to exhausted to really argue, so he only nodded. "Be careful. We don't know what's out there."

A smile pierced Ike's lips, "Of course. Don't worry, we'll be fine." Soren nodded once more, his eyes closing and a content smile on his lips.

"So we'll only be gone an hour," Bryant was explaining to the captain as Ike approached. "We're just going to scout out this general area to see what we can find. Hopefully Celeste won't have gone far." The berserker was holding out hope that the laguz was alive and well.

"You ready to go?" Ike asked him, a hand loosely on his sword.

It was nothing but desert. Desert for as far as they could see. There weren't even any desert plants; just an ocean of sand with no signs of life. And defiantly no Celeste. Bryant and Ike scouted the area for an hour, though their search was futile. Eventually they had to turn back towards the ship; trudging home tired and empty handed.

They arrived to a quiet ship. "We should let the captain know how it went," Bryant said, hoisting his axe over his shoulder. Ike gazed toward the cabin he had left Soren in, and the berserker placed a hand on his shoulder. "Come on Ike. He's worked hard today, let him rest. Let's go see the captain."

The ship was eerily silent for midday, the only sound that of the waves crashing against boat and the rock, and the soft creek of the wood under their weight. The sails flapped as a slight breeze picked up, and then died as quickly as it had begun. The door to the captain's quarters was cracked open. "Captain?" Bryant called out, his hand pressing against the door so that it swung open, "We didn't find-"

The berserker stopped mid-sentence as the room was revealed. It looked as if a tornado had swept through the place; everything was scatted on the floor, furniture was tipped over, and things were broken. But what caught the most attention was the blood; which was splatted against the wall and floors all over the place. And there, laying on the floor in a pool of blood, was the mangled mass of a body.

Bryant had readied his weapon, his eyes searching the room for the danger. Ike, on the other hand, was running; running towards the cabin, towards Soren, drawing his sword as he did so.


	7. Chapter 7: Attacked

Yeah, it took awhile. Sorry guys, stuff came up. But to make up for it, I wrote a really long chapter... and rewrote it three times to make sure it was right. This is an epic chapter people... in my humble opinion.

Read, then reveiw, because reviews inspire me to write more |D

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The door slammed open with bang, leaving a dent against the wall of the cabin. The room was lit, almost peaceful compared to the hectic scene of the captain's quarters. The lack of blood splattered across the walls was probably a good sign, but Ike's heart didn't stop racing until he saw Soren still lying in the bed, his body rising and falling softly in sleep. The swordsman shook his shoulder roughly, his body filled with far too much adrenaline for his movements to be soft.

"Mmm, Ike?" The mage turned so that he was lying on his back, looking up at the other. "What is it?"

"Are you okay?" His voice was a little strained, fearful.

"…I'm fine." He sat up, brows knitting as he looked Ike over, "What's wrong?"

"Get up," Ike turned away, grabbing one of Soren's tomes and handing it to him, "Something's attacked the ship. The captain's dead."

Soren jumped up, already ready for anything, the tome falling open straight down the middle in preparation to be used. "What? When?" He shook his head; this was why he was here. He was the tactician, he needed to assess the situation. "Tell me anything I need to know at this second. Any other details need to wait until we're in a position in which we know we're safe."

Ike nodded, "The captain was dead when we got back. Whatever it is, it's small enough to fit in a door without leaving any sign of entry. I left Bryant in the captain's quarters."

"Alright. Keep your guard up. We'll pick up Bryant and then decide the best course of action."

They left the room in silence, Ike with one hand gripped around the hilt of the sword on his waist, his ears perked and listening. Soren walked behind him, his amber eyes searching the area for danger. They were both silent, ready for the worst. The air was thick with tension.

The captain's door was still ajar as Ike had left it with Bryant, but the man was nowhere in sight. Ike looked back at Soren, who nodded, and then drew his sword, taking a few steps into the room. "Bryant?" Though there was a hint of question in his voice, he said it more as a command for the other to show himself. "Bryant?" No response.

Soren's eyes took in the scene. The room was wrecked, blood was everywhere, the mangled mess that was once a body still lied on the floor. He looked away, whatever had done this was not beorc. He scanned the floor. No footprints that he could make out, was this thing Laguz? Surely, what else could it be? What else could have done this?

The room remained eerily silent, save for Ike's calls for their companion. "Ike." Both boys nearly jumped at the voice behind them, turning to see Bryant in the doorway. "There you are," the berserker entered the room, his axe swung ready over his shoulder, but clean. "I checked the ship, it seems clean. Whatever was on it isn't anymore."

Ike nodded and looked to Soren. "What's our best course of action?"

"We shove off immediately… we'll have to manage without the captain. Our only choice is to return to Tellius, we have no idea what we're up against, and it's obviously not friendly."

Ike nodded, but Bryant seemed reluctant. "What about Celeste?" He asked.

"We have to assume whatever got the captain got her as well. It would be foolish to continue to risk our lives over the hope that she's alive," Soren said bluntly.

Ike nodded, "He's right. We return to Tellius. I don't want to, but it's time to admit defeat. We can return when we have more men and are better prepared for this."

"…" Bryant looked away, his eyes distant. "…"

"Come on," Ike placed a hand on his shoulder. "Let's push off. We can discuss this more after we're in the open water, where it's safe."

After a moment the man nodded, "I'll prepare the sails. You should…" he looked at the body of the captain.

"We'll clean up here, you do what you need to set off," Ike nodded. "Actually…" He looked at Soren, "You'd best go with him, and we'll be able to leave faster that way. I'll raise the anchor as soon as  
I finish up in here."

Soren's head shook, "I'd feel better stay-"

"The logical thing to do would be to help Bryant, right?"

Soren was silent; Ike was right. He nodded, following Bryant out. His hand met Ike's as he passed, squeezing it once. "Stay safe," he said simply, his amber eyes giving away the fear he felt. He wanted to stay at Ike's side; so that if this thing did show up, they'd be together.

Bryant didn't wait for the Mage to catch up, heading straight for the center of the deck. Soren ran after him, only slowing down when he was behind the other. Suddenly Bryant turned and walked to the edge of the ship. "Wha- where are you going?"

"To find Celeste," he answered simply, walking a plank that connected the boat to the land.

"Don't be stupid. She's long gone by now and you know it. If we spend any more time here then we'll all die." The bluntness to his voice returned, his amber eyes stone cold. "Suffering casualties for the sake of the group as a whole is only natural."

"Maybe to you," he said simply. "But I never leave a friend behind."

Somehow Soren saw Ike in those words; yes, Ike was the same way. Foolish. Yet…

"I'm going, with or without-" The berserker was cut short as a shadow loomed over them both. Though Soren saw that something was above them, he didn't look up, his eyes locked on Bryant's expression; it was an expression of pure fear. His eyes were wide and his mouth had opened as if to scream, though no sound came out. Perhaps it would have, had it had time, but the creature that owned the shadow had fallen on him long before it had that chance. Everything happened within only seconds, the thing had grabbed the berserker in its fearsome jaws, his axe falling useless into the sea. Blood splattered as it tossed him aside and onto the land, the red liquid streaking across Soren's face. Bryant didn't get up as the creature jumped from boat to land with ease, towering over him. Perhaps he was already dead, but if he wasn't, he was when the thing threw its head down and took the berserker's skull in its teeth. The next thing Soren heard was the sickening crunch of bones.

He took a step back, opening his tome and quickly flipping to a page, "Raki."

Flames engulfed the beast, but it stepped through them as if they weren't even there. The mage could now see the thing clearly, it was a creature Soren would later describe in his diary as:

_Dreadful. A beast that doesn't belong on this world. Its pitch black eyes and milky white pupils staring into your soul as if it could somehow see that as well. It had long fangs that reached below its jaw much like the tiger laguz, the rest of its teeth jagged spikes protruding from black gums. Its skull was surrounded by a rigid fan, with two horns protruding from its temples and reaching back. Its body was skinny, its cheekbones, spine and ribs blatantly clear. It had no fur, nor scales, but rather a tough yellow-brown skin that covered its whole body. It was lean and long, its tail at least three times the length of the body, and ending in three curved spikes. The tail whipped back and forth with such speed that I feared being impaled by it. Likewise, the underside of its forearms and legs were spiked. It had three toes on its forelegs, the two outermost toes forced upwards by large rounded claws, leaving only the middle toe on the ground, its claw short, but still as sharp. The toes on its hind legs fell naturally, like a cats, but longer, with another toe sticking out from the back of its calve. As I looked into its eyes, I felt as if my last moments had come; it stalked towards me like a hunter toying with its prey before killing it. The thing dared me to move, to try to run, but I knew that there would be no use in doing so. It would be on me before I could turn around. _

Indeed, the beast did stalk towards Soren, its tail lashing through the air. It reminded Soren of something he had seen in Galia when the Greil Mercenaries had first ventured there. Within the capital a few cat laguz children had been playing. The game was a simple one, and a common one among animals as well. One of the cats would attempt to stalk the other, his tail high in the air as he stepped forward slowly. Once he was close enough he would leap and tackle his opponent to the ground. The two cats would wrestle around for awhile until one admitted defeat, and then the whole cycle would start over again.

This however, was much different. This thing was not playing, or perhaps it was. Perhaps to it this was but a game; but to Soren it was a life and death situation. There would be no wrestling, as the mage stood no chance against such a beast, and it would be over in a second. He took a step back, and the creature took a step forward. And inaudible sound left his lips, a cry, perhaps, but far too soft for anyone to hear. The creature took another step forward, its mouth agape. Death waited for him in those jaws, he took another step back.

Forelegs bent as it readied to pounce, the mage could have sworn that he saw laughter in its eyes; as if it was taunting him. _What good are your brains now?_ Soren imagined it saying. _Tactics are of no use in the face of death._

It lept, and Soren fell back, throwing his arms out in front of him as if he thought that could protect him. Sharp teeth impaled thin skin, the mage crying out as the pain shot up from his arm. The creature thrashed his head, and there was a sickening pop as Soren's arm dislocated from his shoulder, and then he was against the wall, feeling wetness on his skull where he had collided with it. A growl left the beast's lips, and it crouched to jump at him again when it suddenly cried out in pain. As it jumped aside the mage saw that a deep gash had been ripped through its side, exposing flesh and bone. Blood spilled upon the deck, and in the center of it all was Ike, his blade gleaming crimson red. Blue eyes stared forward with concentration and anger, locked on the thing. They clashed, and for a moment it seemed they were evenly matched, but suddenly Ike was thrown backwards, stumbling against the side of the ship. He quickly pushed himself up and went at it again.

"Ike!" The word left his lips, his mouth still open afterwards. This would be the where Soren would yell out some tactical advantage Ike had over the thing; helping lead him to victory. However there was nothing for the mage to say now. The only chance Ike had was with brute strength, and even that might not be enough. Perhaps with help… he moved to grab his tome, only to realize that his arm wouldn't move. Instead he reached over with his other hand and grabbed the blood-soaked book of magic, letting it fall open to a random page. The words on it were blurry, the pages soaked red, but he had memorized them long ago. "Uzoika!"

The beast screamed as an explosion ripped through the air, Soren had targeted its open wound. Its scream was a loud, high pitched squeal; one that would continue to ring in their ears even after it had ended. Ike took the moment to his advantage, dashing forward and dealing another blow to the creature, this time to its head. He cut a gash from the top of the fan down to its brow, but the creature still stood, even with blood running into its eyes and leaking onto the deck below. Its jaws opened an a growl escaped its lips, black eyes locked on Ike.

Soren could see the hatred in those eyes; the beast's wish to rip the swordsman to shreds. It sparked fear in him. "Ruteshirate wo shitawa de kana no ruyo iraku!" The words left his mouth without him really thinking it, as if some power had suddenly possessed him and forced him to speak. He had never uttered this spell before, had never even known of it; yet somehow he did know it. Was this his dragon blood taking hold? Could it be?

The ship rocked with the explosion, Soren's eyes closing as a sudden flash blinded him. When amber optics reopened the beast was gone, the deck where it had been standing charred black. Before anything could be said, Ike was running to the other side of the ship, lifting the board that connected the ship to the land and letting it fall into the sea. Soren's eyes followed him, soon resting on a strange lump in the sand. It didn't take long for the mage to realize that it was the body of the creature. Had his spell really thrown it so far? Was it dead? Were there more of it? He didn't want to find out.

Somehow he pulled together the strength needed to lift himself up and stumble forward a few steps; regardless of the blood that trailed behind him. With his good arm he released the ropes holding up the sails, and pulled in a feeble attempt to hoist them. Soon Ike was by his side, pulling the rope and lifting the sails high into the air to be caught by the wind.

They worked quickly and in silence, not a word was said between them until the ship was beginning to float away from land, Ike at its head. As soon as he was sure that the boat was indeed heading away from land and into to open sea, Ike left the controls to find Soren collapsed against a wall, blood soaking into the floor beneath him. He quickly pulled the headband from his own head and wrapped it tightly around the mage's bleeding one, flinching every time Soren did. Next was the arm, limp at the mages side and full of teeth marks. Soren chocked back a scream as Ike wrapped the wound with the shredded and bloodied remains of his sleeve.

The swordsman now stood, looking down at the mage with worry and concern. "Ike," Soren's voice was barely audible. "I need… you to fix my arm." He paused, amber eyes looking up at Ike with full seriousness. "I need you to put it back into place."

For a moment it seemed Ike would deny this order, his sapphire eyes gleaming sadly; but then he nodded his head softly and bent back down. "W-wait," Soren spoke again as the swordsman reached out for him. "A... towel... p-please." Ike understood. He rose and left, returning less than a minute later with a washcloth that had been rolled into a cylinder. Soren took it in his good hand, placing it between his teeth and biting down. "Okhay," he said, voice muffled by the towel, "Ium reay."

Once again Ike nodded in understanding, bending down once more and taking both of the mage's shoulders in his hands. Soren flinched at the touch, his eyes closing in preparation. Ike pushed the bad shoulder into place, using the other to hold Soren still. A muffled scream filled the air as he did so, tears of pain pouring down the mage's face, but he held still until he felt the bone pop into place.

Even as Ike let go and dropped his hands to the side the scream continued, eventually falling into soft sobs. "Soren..."

"Im fine," he managed to choke out after letting the towel drop to the deck and lifting his good arm and wiping the tears from his face. "Fine." The next thing he knew he was in Ike's arms, being lifted up and carried. He didn't complain, resting against the swordsman's chest as he walked. "We're the only ones left," he said as Ike set him in his cot. The swordsman nodded sadly. "Do you know how to sail a ship?" A shake of the head. Soren sighed, "I thought not."

"We'll… figure something out," said Ike softly, but there was doubt to his voice.

"We should be safe from that _thing_ in the ocean," the mage mumbled, "Maybe we can make it back to Tellius…" his words became softer and softer until he fell silent. For a moment all that could be heard was the ocean outside. "Ike…"

"Yes?"

"C-can you sing that song? The one you use to sing when we were young?"

"The lullaby?" a soft smile touched the swordsman's lips. "Of course." Softly he hummed the tune his mother had taught him, the Galdr of Release. After his mother's death Ike had begun to sing it to his sister at night in his mother's place. And after that to Soren when he had arrived as a young child. Years had passed since then without this song leaving Ike's lips. As he hummed the mage's eyes closed and eventually he drifted off into a deep sleep.

_Day: 28_

_There has been no sign of the beast's return, my eyes constantly scan the land for it; as if I expect to see it there, watching. We head south, when the winds are on our side… and often we start heading south only to find by sunset that we are heading another way entirely. I fear we shall never escape this place. My arm heals slowly, I am now able to move it, though not without excruciating pain. I try to hide this from Ike, but he knows._

_There is nothing else to report. We are lost… this ship will be our grave._

_Soren._


	8. Chapter 8: Ectasy

This took to long to write ;. Thats a bad on my part, sorry guys.

Anyways. LEMON! I wonder how much more the readership on this is going to skyrocket now ;.... you should have seen it after the rape scene in Aimaru. Anyways, I know you guys want one ;P.

I feel like Im forgetting something.... but I cant remember what I forgot. So, REVIEW. NAO. DO IT.... please? ;~;

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"How's your arm?"

"The pain's almost completely gone. Any luck with the compass?"

"No, I swear that thing is broken, No matter which way we're heading, it never points north. I was using the sun… until these clouds came in."

A sigh. "…"

"Soren?"

"I'm fine Ike. How are we on food?"

"We have enough."

"Enough for how long?"

"Enough to make it back home."

"Considering we figure out which way is north."

"… yeah."

This was not the first time they had had this conversation. It had been three days… or wait… maybe it had been more? Since the sun had been hidden by thick grey clouds Soren had begun to lose sense of time. Not to mention the fact that he had been stuck in bed for a few days after the attack. Those days had been lonely and Ikeless, though the mage would never admit as such.

More recently he had taken to wandering the deck, or simply staying by Ike's side. Just the other night he had fallen asleep in the swordsman's arms under the stars. It was nice, he had to admit; and it almost made him glad that they were here now.

The boat shook and as the anchor dropped for another night, how many days had it been? The fact that he couldn't remember bothered Soren to no end. Normally he had every little detail thought out, now he couldn't even remember what day it was! An annoyed sigh left his thin lips, his hand propping up his chin as he stared out at the sunset sky. He heard footsteps, and then felt arms wrap around his waist from behind. His head turned as if to protest, but he said nothing, eyes meeting with Ike's for only a moment before turning back to the sky.

"Lets go to bed," Ike said suddenly.

For a moment Soren's face showed confusion, "It's not very late."

"I know, but you still need to heal-"

"I assure you, Im fine. My arm only pangs a little, and only when I move it too much. You worry too much."

Ike was silent for a moment. "I love you, you know that."

A smile touched the mage's lips, "Yes; and you know I feel the same."

"Then come on," Suddenly Soren realized he was airborne, and being tossed over Ike's shoulder.

"W-what are you doing?!" He protested, "Let me down this instant! Ike!" But Ike didn't respond, carrying him away. Another moment of confusion took Soren's features as he realized that Ike wasn't taking him to the cabin, but to the captain's quarters. He looked around as Ike carried him in, having not seen this room since that horrible day. It was clean now, as if blood had not once covered the floor and walls; Ike must have spent some time on this room while Soren recovered. The broken furniture had been discarded, leaving the room looking rather empty with only a few items. And inaudible gasp escaped the mage's parted lips as he was dropped down, feeling the softness of a bed under him. He looked to his side, eyes quickly scanning the large bed that had been the captian's. It was much nicer than the cots he and Ike had been using, but Soren didn't really care.

The bed shifted with the weight of another person, and Soren looked up in surprise as Ike climbed over him. He could feel himself trapped between the bed and Ike, unable to move away…. Yet somehow he liked it. A knowing glimmer filled his optics. "You didn't want to sleep."

"I never said anything about sleeping," Ike grinned mischievously, a hand reaching up and stroking Soren's hair lightly.

"Ike," his hand was placed over the swordsman's, his eyes closing as he tried to think logically about this. However, there was no real logic to what Ike wanted… and what Soren wanted too. He wanted to say the right thing.

The smile fell from Ike's face, "Soren, we don't have to-"

"No." His eyes opened again. "I want this. I've always wanted this."

With the mage's go ahead Ike's fingers began to hastily work to undo Soren's robes. He fumbled, brow creasing in annoyance as he tried to figure the intricate cloth out. A soft chuckle left Soren as he watched this, reaching down and undoing the robe for Ike. With that done Ike pulled the robe open, revealing Soren's bare chest. He slipped it off of the mage's shoulders and out from underneath him, tossing it onto the floor. Next came the other's shoes, and then his pants, sliding off easily and falling to the ground with the everything else, leaving Soren naked underneath Ike.

A blush rose to his cheeks as he realized this, his eyes widening in shock as he realized he was blushing. The mage looked away, trying to quell the blood that had rushed to his face. He heard Ike chuckle and looked up to see that the swordsman was pulling off his cape and armor. His amber eyes couldn't look away as Ike's shirt came off, revealing his muscular chest. A hand went up and touched the biceps, tracing them with his fingers.

For a moment Ike's eyes closed at Soren's touch, his skin tingling where the mage's fingers traced. Sapphire optics opened again, his head bobbing down to catch Soren's lips in a passionate kiss as he pulled down his own pants, tossing them aside with no regard as to where they fell. He pulled away from the kiss, saliva linking them together. The thin strand of spit broke and fell across Soren's chest, but Ike bent down and licked it away. The mage moaned slightly, his hands clenching onto the sheets below him. "A-ahh, Ike…"

Ike looked up, "You're beautiful, Soren."

The mage's mouth opened to say something smart in retort, but no words left his lips. He couldn't think of anything to say; that defiantly wasn't like him. Ike's actions were leaving him speechless and breathless, and as much as it bothered him, he didn't want it to stop. A hand was slipped under his back, lifting him away from the bed to give Ike room to reach under and finger at his entrance. "Ahh~ I-Ike!" The mage gripped onto the other's shoulders.

Ike watched Soren's expression carefully, ready to stop at any moment if he thought the mage wanted him too. They had known eachother for so many years now, Ike had learned to read Soren's face, even though he tried to hide his emotions most of the time. But right now he didn't need that skill; Soren wasn't hiding anything, even if he was trying to.

Two fingers stretched the virgin hole, receiving many grunts and moans from the mage underneath him. He added a third finger, digging in as deeply as he could, and stretching the walls in preparation. He could feel Soren's member grow hard against his stomach as he continued his work, the sounds emitting from the other enough to make Ike grow hard as well. He pulled his fingers free, bringing them up to his mouth and spitting on his hand, rubbing it along his aching member. He lifted Soren's legs and positioned himself at the opening. "Are you ready?"

Soren nodded, his eyes wide and vulnerable. "Y-yes… Ike."

"It's going to hurt," he warned, his face worried.

"I know… g-go…"

Ike nodded, shoving himself in slowly. He stopped halfway as Soren screamed out in pain, his muscles clamping around Ike's member to try to stop him from going any further. Tears poured from his cheeks as the feeling of being ripped apart ran through his nerves. Ike leaned over and kissed away his tears, whispering gentle 'shh's.

After a few moments the mage's body relaxed a little, getting used to Ike's size. "…Keep going," he asked between gasped breaths. The pain had dulled down more, to a manageable dull; but as soon as Ike slid in the rest of the way the pain returned at full force, bringing about another scream of immense pain. Ike paused once more, but Soren shook his head, "D-don't stop Ike…"

With a nod of his head the other male began to pump his hips, pulling himself out and sliding back in. He went at a slow, even pace, his lips and tongue crashing against the mage's. Every moment sent another wave of pain through Soren's body, his screaming interrupted only by Ike's kisses. Her wrapped his arms around the swordsman's neck and held on as if for dear life, waiting for the pleasure he knew would come.

Chocked back moans were escaping Ike, his face flush with the pleasure he knew Soren wasn't feeling. To be honest, he felt bad about it, but he continued his rytmic thrusts, knowing that eventually the pain would subside and give way to blissful pleasure. Sure enough, the screams of the mage underneath him were turning from painful shrieks to blissful pleasure. "A-ahh~ I-Ike! IKE!" Soren screamed out his lovers name, his eyes half-lidded and staring up at the swordsman. "Ahh, f-faster, Ike. Faster…"

Ike complied with the mage's wishes, his thrusts speeding up to the point in which he was pounding into the other, shifting to try and hit his prostate. He listened for the scream of pleasure that marked his success in finding it, and then aimed for that same sweet spot with every thrust.

Soren was in absolute bliss. Saliva leaked from the corner of his mouth, his face flush and screwed up in pleasure. He screamed and moaned Ike's name over and over, digging his thin nails into the other's back. Goddess he was big, everything about him was big. And Soren loved it, he pulled himself closer to Ike, thrust his hips in rhythm with him, gave himself to the blissful pleasure. He moaned lously as he felt Ike's large hand wrap around him member and begin to pump it. "Ahh~ O-ohh~ Ike… Ike~" He could hear what he thought was his name escaping Ike's perfect lips, but his head was filled with far to much pleasure to make anything out clearly.

He screamed as his member pulsed painfully, begging for release. He gave into it with a scream, his warm seed spewing over Ike's hand and both of their chests. He sighed in exhaustion, but didn't get a chance to relax until a few thrusts later when Ike too climaxed, filling Soren with sticky whiteness. He felt Ike's member pull out of him, and then the bed shifted and creaked in protest as the muscular swordsman collapsed on the bed next to him. "H-hhaaa…haa…" The mage shifted his body to face the other, wincing at the pain and as he felt semen leak from his entrance.

Ike was smiling, a hand reaching up and pushing an ebony lock of hair out of his lover's eyes. "Soren, I love you."

"I….. I love you too, Ike."

He pulled himself closer, letting Ike's arm's envelope him in a close hold. He felt safe in those arms, against Ike's bare chest. He head rested on it softly, listening to the swordsman's heartbeat.

"I love you…"


	9. Chapter 9: Losing Faith

This is REALLY overdue. Sorry guys. So, hopefully it'll be wrapped up in one or two more chapters. We'll see.

Im a little tired and out of it right now, sorry, I dont really know what else to say.

Actually, I do.

REVIEW.

Seriously. It makes me warm and fuzzy.

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_Day:_

_I'm used to being stuck in a building all day. How many times have I spent sunrise to sunset pouring over books in the small library at our home fort? Yet this time it is different. I have no magic books to occupy my time with; all I can do is read over that which I have already memorized in a hope to relieve some of my boredom. _

_Cleaning is another task I find gives purpose to my days; Ike rarely does so after himself. I don't complain, as Mist once often had to. My nights are spent with Ike, there's a comfort to falling asleep in his arms, I must admit. Other than that, writing in this diary is the only thing that gives me joy._

_We've lost sight of all land, any land, anything. We are lost, and our compass has been deemed worthless; I wonder if the Goddess is playing some sort of cruel trick on us. You would think she'd be more grateful to the person who fought for her. Goes to show why you should never trust people; even Goddesses. _

_I noticed that we're beginning to use up our food, it was something I expected. Ike has taken it upon himself to become a fisherman; there was a fishing pole and line in the emergency kit; but no bait, sad to say. I've heard tale of fishermen using their own flesh as such; but have no plans to test that theory. _

_I've lost track of the date, an annoying fact. I can blame it on the lack of sun beyond clouded grey skies, but in the end I know it's due to my own sloppiness. I can feel my will for life fading. We won't make it out alive anyways, so why does it matter?_

_At least he's by my side._

_Soren._

The diary was shoved into the drawer with little care, it's owner running his hands through the tangles in his ebony hair. As of late he had let himself go, but physical appearance was never something Soren could reject. Something deep within him told him to always look his best; or perhaps it was just for Ike's sake he was doing it. He didn't even know his own mind these days.

That was partly due to lack of food; he and Ike had been rationing, only eating as little as they could, when they had to. It made even Soren's usually sharp mind clouded with exhaustion. He tried to do things to keep him occupied, but found there was little to do on their ship. Today he had planned to clean Celeste's old room.

Hands fumbled through the drawers of the bunker Celeste had once called her own. At one point the mage would have been able to go through these things without leaving a trace of his presence; but now he pushed papers and books aside with little care.

His fingers bumped a small wooden box, and he pulled it out to inspect. On it was engraved a wing, proof that this had most likely belonged to the hawk laguz. A part of him said that he should let it be; it wasn't his. The other, logical (and slightly curious), part said that Celeste was dead, and the dead didn't really care who went through their personal belongings. That part of him won out, and Soren cracked the lid of the wooden box open just enough to peek inside. The mage let out a sharp intake of breath as a piece of parchment popped out, having been able to barely fit, and drifted to the floor.

For a long moment Soren simply stared at the yellowing paper; then, slowly, his thin hand reached down and touched it, as if he thought it might bite at him. When nothing of the sort happened, he grasped it and lifted it back up, unfolding the creases one by one until it lay sprawled out before him.

On the paper was written a single sentence.

_There is no cure for your condition; I'm sorry._

Soren's brows creased, condition? What was it referring to? There was no addressee or addresser, and all the parchment held was that single sentence; so why had it been tucked away in the beautiful wooden box like a piece of treasure? In hopes of an answer, Soren turned back to the box, searching its contents. He found a dried flower, a kind he had never seen before but could only guess was native to Phoenicis, a piece of what looked like a tooth from some wild beast, and another, small, piece of parchment.

_Sumenarisu Futoramon_

Two words, scribed in the old tongue. Soren had no idea what they meant. Regardless of his studies, the mage knew very little of that language, though all of his spell books were written in it. The most he could do was read it; but not understand. Thinking it important, and with no other outlet to use his genius mind on, he pocketed the paper for further study.

It would give him something to do.

A few more hours were passed in this fashion, and all Soren got for his efforts was another book written in the old tongue. He recognized the words Sumenarisu Futoramon, and stubbornly set his mind to translating and understanding it's meaning.

For three days he poured over that book, stopping only for Ike, food, and rest. For three days his journal went untouched; mind too exhausted to write anything every night. And then, after three days, a surprising entry was leaked onto the page.

_Day:_

_I give up._

No other explanation was left, only that sentence, the single sentence which his mind could piece together enough to write. Not even so much as a signature left at the bottom, the mage closed the diary and left it on the table, for the world (in other words, Ike) to see. And then, tired, grumpy, and at a loss, he crawled into bed.

The next day was spent returning to his old habit of cleaning. He cleared out the kitchen, washed the dishes, and swept the floor. After that he took a nap, feeling rather exhausted from the past few day's work, only to wake up to a darkened cabin with Ike already asleep next to him. There was a candlelight flickering on his desk, a plate of food laying next to it. Dinner tonight was stale bread and some water. A prisoner's meal. But it was food, and Soren gulfed it down hungrily. Next his attention turned to his diary, which was, as he had left it, on the table in clear sight.

After taking a seat and wetting his pen, the mage opened to the page which should hold his next entry, only to find it already written on. The scrawl was untidy and rough, but it brought a bit of a smile to Soren's lips.

_**You? Give up? Hah. You're way too stubborn for that; I know you'll figure it out.**_

There was no signature, but there didn't need to be; there was only one person it could have been. At one time, the realization that Ike had read his personal thoughts would have angered and embarrassed him (not that he would have admitted the latter); but now the mage couldn't really find the will to care. All the same, the words sparked some sort of life to him, and he found himself writing underneath the entry:

_Thank you, Ike._

And with that he shut the diary and pulled out Celeste's book.

Never again was that diary hidden from sight.


	10. Chapter 10: End

As the name infers, this is indeed, the end. Thats it. It's done. Tada.

It's been great you guys, I hope you've enjoyed the process as much as I have. And I hope you stay with me for my further works. I love each and every one of you ;A;. And, if you havent looked at my other dramas: Aimaru and He Smiles For Her, go look. Or perhaps my comedies: Fluff and Stuff, and One Word.

I'm going to admit it, I've never had so much trouble writing ANYTHING like I did this. I hope you enjoy it.

Oh, and review. I mean, it's the last chapter people! This is epic in some way (just trust me on this), so you DEFIANTLY want to be a part of this, right? RIGHT?

So, review. :D

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It was about this time that Soren first began to stash his food back into the cupboard without Ike's notice. His hope was that perhaps the swordsman would live long enough to make it home, even if Soren died. It didn't really cross his mind that perhaps Ike wouldn't want to live if Soren died, he had always thought that was something he alone felt.

The lack of food would have killed a normal man in a week, but Soren was persistent and stubborn; refusing to accept death until it forced its untimely way through the door and dragged him out by force.

With renewed energy he poured over textbooks in an effort to translate the words Celeste had left behind. The work was slow, but with every step forward the mage's hope was once again renewed; his mind always returning to the words Ike had left in his journal for hope.

So much was his mind upon the task at hand that he neglected duties that he would have otherwise taken care of, such as cleaning and food preparation. Ike didn't seem to mind at all, granted that Soren was _his_ to do with as he pleased after sunset.

And Soren didn't mind that at all either.

Even so, he could see the changes in the swordsman. His face was white, whereas it had once always been tan from sun exposure. His movements were sluggish at best. He tried to put on a smile whenever he noticed Soren looking in his direction, but the mage could see the weariness beneath. He was dying. They were both dying.

Soren, too, had changed. His body was thin, thinner than usual. Amber eyes were dull and lifeless, sparked only by the appearance of Ike or an advancement in his translation efforts. He had begun to leave his hair down as of late, so that it flowed around his shoulders and down his back. On multiple occasions he had thought about cutting it, but when he had voiced the thought to Ike the man had been quick to oppose. Apparently the swordsman liked Soren's hair long.

Days and days passed, until the two mercenaries lost track of all time. Soon enough they were barely even leaving bed, letting the boat float untracked in hope that perhaps it would take them home of its own accord. Soren rose only to go to his desk and pull out his books, Ike only to get food or occasionally train. Then thye'd both fall asleep in eachother's arms, too tired to do anything else. It was at this time that this entry was written in the diary:

_Day:_

_It's funny. Until death stares you in the face, you really don't think about your life much. Funny; in an annoying, stupid, hopeless way._

_The food won't last much longer. I've been stashing my meals back into the food cupboard without him knowing. That way maybe he'll live. It's a foolish hope I know, but how can I rob him of his life just to save my own?_

_Now that I look at my own thoughts written out on paper, I realize what a foolish plan it was. He knows, I'm sure. And I won't be able to last much longer without food. Not that I'll last with food anyways. I know that this was my fault, in the end. I'm the tactician; I should have seen this coming. Perhaps if we had…_

_No. Looking back on the past will do us no good now. All I can hope is that one day someone finds this book, so that they can know about the best journey of my life. And the last._

_If this is the last entry in here, so be it. I don't fear death, not mine at least. If I could take everything I've accounted here back; I wouldn't._

_I regret nothing._

_Soren._

_Tactician and Mage of the Greil Mercenaries._

_Heralding from Crimea, on the continent of Tellius._

And then he blew out the candle next to him and crawled into bed with Ike. The swordsman breathing was slow, almost labored. Soren snuggled into him, but it elicited no response from the already asleep mercenary.

And then the next day came. Soren crawled out of bed like on any other day and began to work. He had gotten so far, just a little more and he'd be able to piece together just what Sumenarisu Futoramon meant. Just a little more. When lunch (or what he thought was probably lunch) time came around, Ike still hadn't risen. In an effort to avoid arousing him, Soren prepared some of the food himself. It was at that time that the mage realized he wasn't the only one stashing food; it seemed neither of them had eaten in more than a week.

It looked like their selfishness would be their end.

"Ike?" Soren voiced as he reentered the room. Setting the plate on the edge of the cot and shaking the swordsman's shoulder gently. "Ike?" But Ike didn't wake up. A quick check for a pulse told Soren everything.

He made his way back to table and sat down, beginning his work once more. It was all he could do to to keep sane. If he stopped and thought about the realization that had just been made, he'd go mad right here. And, even in his dying days, he was too stubborn to let himself break down.

After what seemed like a lifetime the mage sat back, reading aloud the words he almost didn't believe he had managed to write.

_Sumenarisu Futoramon:_

_An illness in which a laguz's body is unable to transform, leaving them vulnerable in their human form. Unable to hunt or fight, laguz with Sumenarisu Futoramon often die within the first 30 years of their life. More recently there have been cases of elder Laguz with this condition, taken care of in a community where the others hunt and fight for him/her._

_Sumenarisu Futoramon also weakens a Laguz's immune system, making them prone to sickness._

So, that was the story. That was why Celeste carried knives; why she fell so dangerously ill. "I figured it out," his voice was weak.

"Ike… I figured it out…"

And then his pen fell from his limp hand.

THE END.


End file.
